The Colonial Heart

Chapter 14

W I L L I A M

"Good heavens, what is the meaning of this unseemly outburst?" I inquired, my voice firm but measured, as I addressed the irate chief.

"Henry, enlighten me as to the nature of this kerfuffle," I added, turning to my trusted aide.

"It appears, that the chief's men were attempting to extract minerals from the land, but our own men refused them permission, citing the treaty that grants us sole authority over these territories, including all mineral rights," Henry explained.

The chief's face turned apoplectic. "You assured us we would share in the bounty of this land!"

I raised an eyebrow. "I fear you must be mistaken, Chief. The treaty explicitly states otherwise. I suggest you peruse the document again, if you wish."

The chief's countenance darkened further. "You duplicitous foreigners! Leave our land at once!"

I stood firm, my tone unwavering. "We shall do no such thing, Chief. This land is now under our jurisdiction, and if you take umbrage with that, perhaps it would be best if you were to depart from our land ."

The chief's eyes blazed with fury as he drew a massive blade from his scabbard and lunged at me. But before he could strike, a blood-curdling cry pierced the air, and the chief's lifeless body slumped to the floor, felled by a bullet from my guard's pistol.

I felt a pang of remorse, but it was quickly supplanted by pragmatism. "If the locals were to discover we had slain their leader, it would spell war. We cannot afford such a complication."

I turned to my guard. "Dispose of the body discreetly. Ensure the gunshot wound is not visible, and make it appear as though the chief wandered off into the mountains, lost."

My guard nodded, and I continued, "Inform the head worker that we shall press on with the trade ports, posthaste. This land is growing increasingly oppressive, and I am eager to conclude our business here."

I fled my chambers, my stomach churning with a maelstrom of emotions, and my gorge rising in protest. The contents of my belly spilled forth, a bitter reminder of the turmoil that ravaged my soul. My heart lay shattered, fragmented by the thought of Ama's tears, which I knew would fall like autumn rain upon learning of the chief's demise. The anguish of being the cause of her sorrow pierced me like a dagger.

Henry's voice, laced with dismay, pierced my reverie. "Behold, dear friend, what we have become - no better than cold-blooded assassins."

I turned to face him, a feeble smile plastered on my lips. "Nay, Henry, our actions serve a noble purpose."

But Henry's countenance remained unyielding, his eyes clouded with disapproval. "At what cost, William? Does the allure of a title truly justify the blood on our hands?"

I cut him off, my tone firm but laced with a hint of desperation. "Of course it does, Henry! With this title, we shall please our parents and secure the life we've always coveted."

Henry's frown deepened, his voice taking on a plaintive tone. "But do you truly desire that life, William? You are better than this. We could abandon this wretched existence, flee from the shadows of our past, and live as humble commoners. Does that not sound idyllic?"

I silenced him with a stern rebuke, my words dripping with disdain. "Enough, Henry! Your words border on madness. You are dismissed!"

Henry's face contorted in anguish, his voice rising in defiance. "You cannot dismiss me, I am not one of your workers!"

Our eyes locked in a fierce stare, until finally, Henry's shoulders slumped in defeat, and he departed with a disgruntled grunt. I stood firm, my resolve unwavering, yet a tiny voice whispered in the recesses of my mind 'it will all be worth it'

Will it?

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